


Wedding Day

by storiesandstarsandotherstuff



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Angst, F/M, Mwahahahah, One Shot, Short One Shot, Wedding Day, seriously why aren't there more wedding fics for these two?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-11-01 07:04:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17862620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesandstarsandotherstuff/pseuds/storiesandstarsandotherstuff
Summary: Zoya has a hundred different problems and a headache. The fact that it's Nikolai’s wedding day, she tells herself, has nothing to do with it.





	Wedding Day

Zoya started the day with a hundred different problems and a headache. The fact that it was Nikolai’s wedding day, she told herself, had nothing to do with it. 

The process of getting ready was long and tedious. She was the First General, so she would be expected to look good under normal conditions (and she did), but this was the royal wedding. Everyone who was anyone who wanted good relations with Ravka would be coming. And even those who didn’t would be coming – those who just wanted another shot at taking the king’s head. All reasons why she needed to be alert and wary at all times. 

So why did she feel so tired and full of shit?

Zoya put on the last earring and sighed. Maybe a simple look for today would be better. After all, the royal couple would hardly appreciate rumours that the First General was trying to outshine the bride at their own wedding getting around. Zoya would be surprised if the Shu Princess hadn’t already heard of the whispers of her and Nikolai’s more-than-suspicious relationship from the rabble. She doubted the princess would care for gossip, of course – something she could admire. 

That was the more annoying part, she supposed. She didn’t want to like the Shu princess, but found her to be – well – practical. Like herself. Which was good. Obviously.

In the end, she told herself as she walked out of her bedroom in a simple but beautiful blue gown, it was Nikolai’s secrecy that was pissing her off today. Not once, on the way back, could he have mentioned his plans to the woman he said he was going to _leave his kingdom to?_ Not once, could he have listened to her worries about bringing _the Darkling back_? Not once, could he have trusted her?

She was used to people not paying attention to what she had to say just because she had a pretty face. She just hadn’t expected it from Nikolai, especially after what they went through. To Zoya’s frustration, she found it hurt.

But it didn’t matter anymore, because even someone as stubborn as her could admit the plan was smart and practical and sound. It was completely Nikolai. Zoya gritted her teeth and shook her head at herself. This wasn’t a petty school classroom, it was politics, and it didn’t matter who told who what as long as shit got done. By the time she reached the end of the hall, Zoya was completely and utterly over it.

It was complete bad luck, then, that Zoya turned the corner and walked straight first into the Royal Highness itself. Dressed and ready for a wedding fit for a King, and looking as if nothing in the world bothered him.

Some animalistic-like anger roared up in her gut, and she felt a growl try to claw its way up her throat. She pushed the Juris-part of her down. At first, being one with a dragon felt undeniably powerful, but now it just felt like a nuisance. _Stay down for five minutes, you insufferable beast._

“Nazyalensky,” Nikolai said with that shit-eating grin of his, “what a surprise running into you.”

_Saints, Nikolai. Now?_ He was lucky the hall was empty. “Hardly, Your Highness. What may I help you with?”

He blinked, as if surprised by her formality. “Just looking for my most trusted general before a political event, that’s all.”

She let out a humourless laugh. It echoed along the empty hall. “This isn’t just a political event, Nikolai. It’s your wedding. I thought a romantic such as yourself could appreciate that.” He didn’t say anything, and she rolled her eyes and walked past him. She couldn’t help herself as she added, “Or not. I can’t say I really know you, can I?”

He grabbed her wrist and she whirled on him. He immediately let go. 

“Zoya,” Nikolai murmured, looking at her with concern, “what are you talking about? You know me better than anyone.” She didn’t answer. “Right before a wedding is also hardly the time to be keeping secrets, no?”

Her eyes narrowed at him, and she refrained from throwing a gust of wind his way and throwing him against the wall. “You,” she said slowly, “are talking to me… about keeping secrets?” King or not, she wanted to murder him. “You, who didn’t tell me any of your plans on the way back from the fold? You, who have coerced a Shu princess into marrying you out of fear in a split-second decision? You, who have,” she let her voice dropped, “let the _Darkling return to Ravka_ , even though you know what he did to the people? To _us?_ ” Had her showing him her scars really meant so little?

Nikolai’s eyes softened. “I know that’s not what you’re angry about. Not someone as practical as you.”

He was right – they had sorted through those grievances in their arguments late into the night two days ago. Or at least, Zoya had stopped being pissed about it long enough to admit is was a good plan, and the best they had. But Zoya didn't want to bring that up. “I’m just not feeling so practical today, Your Highness. With enemies both on our border and in our home, I just want this damn wedding over with. Now if you excuse me, I will need to get to my seat.”

His eyes softened, perhaps a little guiltily, and he held out his arm. “You can come with me. They’re in the same place.”

Zoya nearly groaned. If he was going to bring her most-hated enemy back into her home, the least he could do was own it, and not feel bad. “No, they aren’t. My seat is farther back.”

He looked at her with surprise, as if was the first he was hearing of it. It was, she supposed. “What do you mean? You're my First General. Your seat is by my side.”

“No, Nikolai,” she said softly, suddenly more tired. The fight suddenly left her for a moment. “ _Her_ seat is by your side. Not your First General, and especially not one your people think you’ve been sharing a bed with for the past year. Especially not at your wedding, near your wife.” 

For a minute, there was silence between them. They had always known about the rumours, of course – it was just the first time either of them had brought them up. Or cared. “Nothing between us will change after a wedding, Zoya. You will still be my First General, and my partner in crime.”

Is it that really what he believed? Zoya would have thought a man as smart as him would have taken public opinion of their relationship into account. Then again, he was the people’s golden prince – what would he know of the dirty looks the local ladies gave the half-Suli, Grisha General as soon as he left their gaze? What would he know of the whispers she heard whenever she went to town, of how maids were oddly stiff and silent around her? 

It wasn’t as if Zoya cared about what the people thought, either. If anything, the rumours fuelled her spite and hard work. It just wore her down after a while, in the way water erodes stone over time – now, she was just tired of them. Especially after the Fold. Especially at this damn wedding. 

What would Nikolai even do if she bothered to tell him? 

_He would go and try to pick some kind of fight with every one of them,_ she realised with a jolt, _because, crown or not, he’s a damn idiot at heart._

So Zoya just settled with a soft smile, rose on her tip-toes, and pressed a soft kiss on his cheek, like she was a princess in a fairy tale and this was her sweet goodbye. Because it was the best she’d ever get, and because she wasn’t feeling very practical today at all. 

“No, it won’t be, Your Highness,” she whispered, and walked away. “Not after today.”


End file.
